Ardent alternate class features
Dominant Ideal An ardent develops her power by embracing philosophical concepts, with her two primary mantles serving as the core of her beliefs, and the secondary mantles providing peripheral views of the world. For some, one specific ideal outshines even its primary companion, and secondary considerations are little more than a distracting shadow of doubt. If you want to make a single mantle the focus of your ardent, selecting the dominant ideal alternative class feature allows you to use its powers more effectively. In exchange for this stronger focus, you must give up access to a new psionic mantle, reducing your overall power selection. Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not assume an additional secondary psionic mantle at 10th level. Benefit: At 10th level, you choose one of your primary mantles to become the dominant ideal in your philosophy, deepening your connection to this fundamental principle. You do not need to expend your psionic focus when applying metapsionic feats to powers you manifest from your chosen primary mantle, and the power point cost of augmenting or applying metapsionic feats to these idealized powers is reduced by 2 (to a minimum of 0). The reduction in cost applies only to the additional power points spent on augmentation or metapsionic feats; the power's normal power point cost is not reduced. If you later decide to make the primary mantle for which you have selected this alternative class feature into a secondary mantle, you must also swap this feature, allocating it to one of your primary mantles. Elemental Mantles There are four recognized elements, yet only a single mantle for them. Here are mantles for each element. If you use these, you will need to remove the Elements mantle from the game. Note that some powers are modified or limited to a single elemental aspect or energy. Air Mantle Granted Ability: When you are psionically focused, you can treat any fall as if the distance were 20 feet less. 1 Deflection Field*: Provides +4 deflection bonus to AC. 2 Control Air A: You have control over wind speed and direction. 3 Telekinetic (Air) Thrust A: Hurl objects with the force of the wind. 4 Fly, Psionic: You fly at a speed of 60 ft. 5 Telekinetic (Air) Buffer*A: Use the wind to force creatures away from you. 6 Overland Flight, Psionic: You fly at a speed of 40 ft. and can hustle over long distances. 7 Ethereal Jaunt, Psionic: Become ethereal for 1 round/ level. 9 Tornado Blast A: Vortex of air subjects your foes to 17d6 damage and moves them. Earth Mantle Granted Ability: When you are psionically focused, you gain a +4 bonus on Balance checks and checks to resist bull rush attempts. 1 Stomp A: Subjects fall prone and take 1d4 nonlethal damage. 2 Earth Walk*A: Move easily in all directions while on earthen surface. 2 Crystalstorm *A: Crystal spray deals 2d4 damage + 1d4 Con damage. 4 Inertial Barrier: Gain DR 5/--. 5 Hail of Crystals A: A crystal explodes in an area, dealing 9d4 slashing damage. 5 Major (Earth) Creation, Psionic: As psionic minor creation, but stone and metal only. 7 Eyes of the Basilisk*: Turn one creature per round to stone with a glance. 8 Iron Body, Psionic: Your body becomes living iron. Fire Mantle Granted Ability: When you are psionically focused, your melee attacks deal an extra 1 point of fire damage. 1 Control Flames A: Take control of nearby open flame. 2 Energy (Fire) Emanation*A: Deal 1d6 points of fire damage to surrounding creatures. 3 Energy (Fire) Burst A: Deal 5d6 fire damage in a 40-ft. burst. 3 Energy (Fire) Wall: Create a wall of fire. 5 Energy (Fire) Current A: Deal 9d6 fire damage to one foe and half to another foe as long as you concentrate. 5 Fiery Discorporation A: Cheat death by discorporating into a nearby fire for one day. 6 Energy (Fire) Barrage*A: Decimate foes with a barrage of fire explosions. 7 Energy (Fire) Wave A: Deal 13d4 fire damage in a 120-ft. cone. Water Mantle Granted Ability: When you are psionically focused, you gain a swim speed equal to your base land speed. 1 Float A: You can buoy yourself in water or other liquid. 1 Control Object (Water): Telekinetically animate a small amount of water or ice. 2 Body Equilibrium: You can walk on nonsolid surfaces. 3 Energy (Ice) Lance*A: Lance of cold deals 5d6 damage plus chills target. 4 Energy (Ice) Flash*A: Touch deals 5d6 cold damage to foe. 5 Energy (Ice) Current A: Deal 9d6 cold damage to one foe and half to another foe as long as you concentrate. 6 Breath of the Black Dragon A: Breathe acid for 11d6 damage. 8 True Metabolism: You regenerate 10 hit points/round. * Found in Complete Psionic. Substitute Powers Considering the esoteric nature of mantles, different ardents may have the same mantle but have different powers available to them. A mantle can have no more than ten powers in it, and if it has fewer, add further powers to fill the gaps if that mantle has no powers of that level. The powers need to fit the theme of the mantle at the DM's discretion. Otherwise, you can substitute a power of equal or lesser level. For example, the sense danger* power could be added to the Fate mantle as a 3rd-level power since only seven powers and no 3rd-level powers are in it, or the faint memory* power could replace escape detection in the Deception mantle. Category:Alternative class features